I do everything for you
Yesterday, I braved the hot sun, sleepy hamlets of coastal Rhode Island, a bus, and nonthreatening crowds for the Newport Folk Festival. The real impetus was that I had routinely missed seeing The Decemberists, and felt I ought to just do it, but there were other compelling reasons. These include:
Ben Kweller, whose song Sundress came up on my iPod and I took note of it when I liked it, and upon discovering the artist, remembered I'd seen his name on the program. He's great! Also, he played Sundress.
The Low Anthem, Fleet Foxes, and Iron and Wine produced some beautiful, sedate moments of delicious harmony.
Mavis Staples and Ramblin' Jack Elliot have terrific stage presence, and were highly entertaining.
Bits of Brett Dennen and Gillian Welch proved worth wishing I had more time or multiplicity.
But the best of the festival were The Avett Brothers dynamic stage performance, a wonderful set of many favorites (The Crane Wife #3, O Valencia, A Cautionary Tale, Chimbley Sweep, and We Both Go Down Together), a singalong Sons and Daughters to end, and some new works by The Decemberists (and the obligatory historical re-enactment of Dylan going electric), and a singalong with Pete Seeger and others. The dude is 90 and still pickin' away, leading (though not singing) songs and how everyone loves him. We sang There Is a Season (Turn Turn Turn), Guantanamera, Blue Skies, This Little Light of Mine, and closed out with If I Had a Hammer and This Land Is Your Land.
Sunburnt, yes, tzatziki sauce splattered on my clothing, yes, but so so worth it.
Ben Kweller, whose song Sundress came up on my iPod and I took note of it when I liked it, and upon discovering the artist, remembered I'd seen his name on the program. He's great! Also, he played Sundress.
The Low Anthem, Fleet Foxes, and Iron and Wine produced some beautiful, sedate moments of delicious harmony.
Mavis Staples and Ramblin' Jack Elliot have terrific stage presence, and were highly entertaining.
Bits of Brett Dennen and Gillian Welch proved worth wishing I had more time or multiplicity.
But the best of the festival were The Avett Brothers dynamic stage performance, a wonderful set of many favorites (The Crane Wife #3, O Valencia, A Cautionary Tale, Chimbley Sweep, and We Both Go Down Together), a singalong Sons and Daughters to end, and some new works by The Decemberists (and the obligatory historical re-enactment of Dylan going electric), and a singalong with Pete Seeger and others. The dude is 90 and still pickin' away, leading (though not singing) songs and how everyone loves him. We sang There Is a Season (Turn Turn Turn), Guantanamera, Blue Skies, This Little Light of Mine, and closed out with If I Had a Hammer and This Land Is Your Land.
Sunburnt, yes, tzatziki sauce splattered on my clothing, yes, but so so worth it.